Years of service 1938–45, –1976 Role Military officer Service/branch German Army, Bundeswehr | Name Johannes Lutz Unit 116th Panzer Division | |
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Allegiance Nazi Germany (to 1945)
West Germany Rank Leutnant (Wehrmacht)
Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr) Battles/wars World War II
Invasion of Poland
Battle of France
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Queen
Battle of Hurtgen Forest Died August 26, 2005, Augsburg, Germany Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Battles and wars Invasion of Poland, Battle of France | ||
Johannes "Johann" Lutz (11 March 1920 – 26 August 2005) was a highly decorated Leutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also known as the Panzerknacker of Battle of Hurtgen Forest and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Lutz was captured by US forces in April 1945 and was held until November 1945.
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1926–45
Between 1926 and 1938 Lutz visited the school where he was trained for his profession. On 1 April he was subscribed to the 'Reichsarbeitsdienst', where he served for the 'Reicharbeitsdienstabteilung' 2/285 in Scheinfeld.
On 1 October 1938 he quit the service. Shortly after this on November the 17th 1938 he entered the service of the 'Wehrmacht' at the 7th Infantry-Regiment 63 in Ingolstadt. There he was trained as a machine gunner. From the on-set of the war he participated in the Invasion of Poland as a MG-1 gunner. During the Battle of France he acted as a group leader. On 11 October 1940 the second battalion was incorporated into the 'Kradschutzenbataillon'.
At the beginning of the campaign in the Soviet Union, Lutz was the leader of the 3rd infantry group to the 'Kradschutzenbatallion 17'. As early as the 2 July 1941 he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class. Later on Lutz was transferred to the 6th 'Panzergrenadier-Regiment 63', where he served as the leader of a company. At Orel Lutz was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class, on the 28 August 1942. In 1943 Lutz was trained as an officer at the gun-school in Ohrdruf in Thuringia and in Gros Glienicke near Berlin. In 1944 he participated in a master course for technical tank officers at the Panzertruppenschule Krampnitz. After the beginning of the Invasion of Normandy in 1944 Lutz was assigned as a troop leader for the first troop of the 'Divisionsbegleitkompanie' of the 116th Panzer Division. With the division he fought at Arnhem and later in the bloody battles in the Eifel.
In the combat zone of Aachen he was awarded with the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 December 1944 for the occupation and protection of Vossenack. During this fight in Hurtgenwald he destroyed 5 US Tanks within one day. Following this the first troop of the 'Divisionsbegleitkompanie' was signed into the 'Ehrenblatt' of the 116 tank division. After this Lutz became company leader and first lieutenant and fought in the Ruhr Pocket. On 20 April 1945 Lutz became an American prisoner of war, at this point he served as adjutant to the combat commander in the Harz mountains.